China's envoy to Bangladesh has applauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for building the Padma Bridge with the country's own finances and described her government's achievements in the last decade as "extraordinary”. 

Li Jiming, the Chinese ambassador in Dhaka, emphasized Bangladesh's progress during Sheikh Hasina's 12 years as Prime Minister including economic growth and infrastructure development.

“I wonder, I truly doubt, if any typical leader of any country could have made such a difficult decision as she did,” the envoy said.

Padma Bridge 

On July 4, 2001, Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone for the Padma Bridge, which will benefit more than 30 million people in 21 districts throughout southern Bangladesh. The 6.15-km bridge, which includes a four-lane highway and a one-lane railway, is now a reality.

The Prime Minister - who inaugurated the bridge on June 25 - made it a reality in the face of hundreds of difficulties, obstructions, bogus claims and World Bank machinations.

Sheikh Hasina stated unequivocally that the Padma Bridge would be built with the country's own money.  

Leaders perform the most important function at the state level in setting directions, encouraging people, boosting morale, allocating responsibilities and improving satisfaction in order to steer a nation forward.  

Sheikh Hasina's leadership is exemplified by the Padma Bridge.

Hasina’s personal involvement 

She did not limit herself to giving commands; she became involved in the megaproject and provided vital counsel when needed, boosting the morale of the workers.  

Her decision to build the bridge on the country's own funds gives the Bangladeshi people the much-needed motivation to overcome obstacles and grow themselves without relying on outside assistance. 

She has successfully instilled in the general public the concept that we can do anything if we have a strong will and a resolve to do so. At the same time, having a dreamer as a leader is a matter of luck.

The Chinese envoy expressed his pride over the bridge, not only because it was built by a Chinese company but also because it will serve as a watershed moment in China-Bangladesh cooperation.

Self-financed 

Sheikh Hasina vowed to construct the Padma Bridge after the World Bank cancelled its loan due to corruption allegations. Bangladesh's finance ministry gave the Bangladesh Bridge Authority a credit of $3 billion.

The Padma Bridge is made of more than just concrete. It combines people's love and pride in a country that is being recognised as a global success story. 

(The author is a graduate of South Asian Studies, University of Toronto, Canada, and currently a Research Fellow in Bangladesh Studies at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Views are personal. She can be contacted at fuyamada14@gmail.com)